Is snail creme all its hyped up to be?

For those with an open mind, you may just try about anything to get the perfect complexion, and snail excrements is the new skin craze. This new ingredient is beginning to pop up in high-end skin care products and is full of beneficial compounds that moisturize the skin, help to reduce inflammation and and help to minimize acne scars.

The mucus is called Helix aspersa muller glycoconjugates and it works to protect snails from cuts, bacteria and sun damage. The slime consists of hyaluronic acid, glycoprotein enzymes, glycoloc acid, antimicrobial and copper peptides, proteoglycans and elastin; all common ingredients currently found in beauty products.

This beauty oddity was accidentally discovered by Chilean farmers who harvest snails for French escargot. They noticed the skin of their hands appeared smoother and younger, triggering the next new craze in skin care ingredients.

Currently, limited research exists to support the idea that snail cream restores the skin but it has been shown to boost production of elastin and collagen in cell cultures. Anecdotal evidence shares that it’s also effective in reducing the appearance of dark spots and scars. It is also said to cause the skin to appear plumper and less wrinkled.

For the truly adventurous, beauty explorers can make their way to spa located in Thailand or Japan to experience an extravegent $200 facial that consists of snails crawling all over your face. However, if you’re on a budget and can’t stomach the slimy bug facial there are numerous beauty products currently on the market that won’t break your wallet or induce an instant gag reflex.